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"How many women you see in this kitchen? Only me. Why do you think that is? Because high cuisine is an antiquated hierarchy built upon rules written by stupid, old men. Rules designed to make it impossible for women to enter this world, but still I'm here. How did this happen?"

"You think cooking is a cute job, eh? Like Mommy in the kitchen? Well, Mommy never had to face the dinner rush while the orders come flooding in, and every dish is different, and none are simple, and all different cooking time, but must arrive at the customer's table at the exactly the same time, hot and perfect! Every second counts and you CANNOT be MOMMY!"

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Wednesday, June 1, 2011

I have been a leader in the kitchen with a least 10 employees, the title then would be, a day line supervisor. I have had the privilege of working with individuals, that understood the stress of working in a professional kitchen. If you had anything short of a severed appendage, you were pretty much fit, for duty. I never knew what a break meant, because we were in the business of nourishing those that were on "their" breaks.

The last 4 years, I have learned what it is like to work with women. Jasmine, my love, is forever excluded in this category. She understands, that no matter what, the show must go on, PERIOD!. Our problems, like a pet dying, having a sinus infection, missing baseball games, and family dinners never come in the way, of giving the customer EXACTLY what they ordered. It is what it is. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of hospitality is: the activity of providing food, drinks, etc. for people who are guests or customers of an organization-often used before another noun. The way I look at it is a very simple definition of; there should be no grey area. Cut and dry, get the food out and lick your wounds later.

Working with women that have no longing, calling or spark in food service is challenging at best. I have been privy to more drama in the last four years, then I ever experienced in my culinary life. I must admit, I do not have the skills to read a woman. Is that insane or what? Because I am a woman!! I gave birth to two sons. My first son, who is 15, I did work on the hot line, until I was 7 1/2 months pregnant, then bed-rest. A little personal note on Paige, I am only 5' 1", so you can imagine that reaching for the french onion crocks was a challenge. My second son, gladly I was a bit more seasoned at working pregnant and the hot-line racket. I was 8 1/2 months before I had to go on the !@#$^@*&&%$## bed rest.

Hey, I have a challenge for the boys!!!, go on bed rest for a month and get up only to shower and pee. In my humble opinion, the human race would feel the winds of change, and perhaps the Earth's axis would noticeably shift.

Disney girls, never seem so mean :-)

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My super cool flowers to be :)

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Here are the cousins of the other picture :)

my rhododendron that bloomed despite the Noah like rain

What is the whole point of this subject? The point is that the youth, that come through the doors looking for employment today, are functioning on an entirely different wavelength, than I did in 1987. My parents were in Maine, and I was doggie-paddling in Ketchikan, Alaska. I paddled and I made it. So, can these young folk today. Unfortunately, I have no compassion for those that can not help themselves. I don't care about the Mike's, Tom's, Dave's that promise you an olive garden, When you wake up in morning you are faced with the job you applied for. Right? Just suit-up, and shut-up, God knows I try to. But, I get wrapped up into the Jerry Springer drama. I can only contribute that to working with women. It has only been 5 years, and in that time (excluding Jasmine), I have never been so distrustful of women. When I first saw the movie "Mean Girls", I thought to myself, does not apply to me. I never had came in contact with such a category.

If I had one message to the young fledgling chefs (women that is) please really weigh your options, if you ever want to have a family, your passion takes a backseat. Instead of calling dinner tables, you are calling the pediatrician because your child grabs his ears and cries.

Guess what? I have a secretive secret you can share with your friends. I have done what you have done, and I did it in Alaska. I did it during a time, that I was trying to develop my compassion and mercy, because in the end you WILL see these people on the way down. Leave the drama to the soap operas, they are seasoned at it, strive to be the best that you can be (finding a job, that makes you happy). The rest really, if we want to get to the heart of it takes care of itself.

Yep!!!!

Never get tangled into the mindset of : What could I have done different, to alter my reality? . Look to what, you in fact have and nourish it. Never listen to the bitter hearts, because they are bitter and looking for someone to blame for their misfortune. Whatever you do, do it a 150% and at the end of the day, pat yourself on the back, and say " I did my best". Be grateful and humble, because the people that you meet on your upswing, may in fact, be the same people you meet on a downslide. It really is so very simple, love yourself and love others as yourself.

California BLT

2 pieces of really cool bread (you pick it, only you know) toasted
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
3 healthy slices of ripe avocado, it works out to be 1/3 of 1 avocado
2 slices of a really great tomato, vine ripes are great, ones from your garden even better
2 healthy leaves of the lettuce of your choice, in this case I used romaine
5 slices of bacon, the thicker the better, applewood smoked and well we hit royal status

Fry the bacon until crispy, save the grease, because I fondly refer to it as liquid gold, you can use it in the place of any fat, i.e cooking pork chops, or frying home fries. Slice your tomatoes and avocados and set aside. Clean your lettuce and get it ready for greatness. Toast your bread, maybe buy it a corsage, but it all together and you have your own gastronomical prom. I usually serve it with Tomato cheddar soup and super cool mini saltine crackers. Don't forget some local shredded cheddar to top your soup. The BEST hands down.

Don't waste time learning the "tricks of the trade." Instead, learn the trade. ~Attributed to both James Charlton and H. Jackson Brown, Jr.